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Prosecution decision in police shooting due Tuesday

Free Press Staff
Published 4:11 p.m. ET May 9, 2016

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Vermont State Police investigators work at South Square Apartments on College Street in Burlington last month following the fatal shooting of Ralph “Phil” Grenon, 76, by police.(Photo11: RYAN MERCER/FREE PRESS FILE)Buy Photo

Chittenden County State's Attorney T.J. Donovan will announce his decision Tuesday on whether a Burlington police officer who shot a man with mental health needs will be prosecuted.

Donovan's office and the Vermont Attorney General's Office each completed a review of the Vermont State Police investigation into the March 21 shooting of Ralph "Phil" Grenon, 76. Grenon was a resident of the South Square apartment building at 101 College Street. Police and family have said Grenon suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.

The property manager of the South Square Apartments called police while a Burlington police officer and a Howard Center Street Outreach Team member were en route to check in on Grenon. The manager reported that Grenon “was inside his apartment yelling and was out of control."

Burlington police Officer David Bowers, 23, shot Grenon following five hours of attempts by police to negotiate with Grenon. Police have said Grenon advanced toward officers while holding knives in each hand. Grenon was pronounced dead on arrival at the University of Vermont Medical Center.

Donovan will hold a news conference at the Chittenden County State's Attorney's Office in Burlington on Tuesday morning, Donovan wrote in a news advisory sent via email on Monday.